Do not criminalize homelessness!

Please vote against House Bill 211. It would criminalize people experiencing homelessness and create so‑called “homeless courts.” It is morally wrong to criminalize poverty and punish people simply for needing a safe place to sleep and rest. Louisiana’s prisons are already overcrowded and cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. HB 211 would only create another pipeline into this overburdened system, wasting resources that should be used to help people, not incarcerate them. Instead, please support legislation that addresses the root causes of homelessness—such as lack of affordable housing and mental health services, and living‑wage jobs—and that empowers local governments to respond in humane, effective ways that truly help people rebuild their lives.